Ferrari squad Kessel Racing has confirmed that it will defend its Bronze Cup title in this year’s GT World Challenge Europe.
The Swiss outfit’s all-conquering #74 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo will return in 2026, with defending drivers’ champions Dustin Blattner and Dennis Marschall again competing in Bronze in both the Endurance and Sprint Cups. The pairing will be joined in the Endurance Cup events by Lorenzo Patrese.
Last season, Blattner, Marschall and Kessel – joined by Conrad Laursen for the Endurance Cup and Zacharie Robichon at the 24 Hours of Spa – completed an unprecedented sweep of all six available Bronze Cup titles. The #74 Ferrari won five races, including at Spa, and also earned seven pole positions, on its way to the season-long, Endurance and Sprint drivers’ and teams’ crowns.
20-year-old Patrese made his GT World Challenge Europe debut in 2022, and spent three seasons with Audi team Tresor Attempto Racing. Last year, the Italian competed in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup with Cetilar Racing, and contested the 24 Hours of Spa with Ziggo Sport Tempesta.
Kessel Racing will field a second car in the Sprint Cup this season. David Fumanelli and Marco Pulcini will pilot the #277 Ferrari, which is also entered into the Bronze Cup.
Fumanelli has been a regular behind the wheel of a Kessel Racing Ferrari for the past five years, including its last two GT World Challenge Europe campaigns, whilst Pulcini joins the Swiss squad from Ziggo Sport Tempesta.
Kessel Racing has also announced additional drivers for its European Le Mans Series programme, where the team will again field a pair of Ferraris in the LMGT3 category.
Ferrari factory driver Daniel Serra will team up with Takeshi Kimura in the Car Guy-backed #57 entry for the fourth consecutive season, with the third driver in this crew still to be confirmed.
In the #74 296 LMGT3 Evo, Andrew Gilbert will once again be joined by Fran Rueda, with ELMS debutant Romain Leroux joining them this year. 23-year-old Leroux has raced for Walkenhorst Motorsport in GT World Challenge Europe for the past two seasons, and won the Silver Cup class at last year’s 24 Hours of Spa.
Image courtesy of SRO/JEP
